Governor Invokes Constitutional Provision, Adjourns Legislature

Published: April 18, 2011

Calls Special Session Following Legislative Impasse

April 17, 2011, Juneau, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today invoked Article II Section 10 of the Alaska Constitution, and adjourned the Alaska Legislature. The action to adjourn the Legislature comes after the governor received a resolution from the Alaska House of Representatives certifying they disagreed with the Senate on adjournment.

The governor then immediately signed a proclamation calling the 1st special session of the 27th Alaska Legislature effective April 18 at 1 p.m. to address the budgets, Alaska Performance Scholarship Fund, and the Susitna Hydro Project, among limited but significant topics.

“The House has taken every action possible to pass a budget, and they have clearly shared my vision for less spending and greater individual freedom and opportunity,” Governor Parnell said. “The House has fully vetted, debated, and boldly stepped forward on issues important to Alaska’s economy and her families, including taking actions to provide more oil production as the lifeline of our economy and security for the future.

“As Alaska’s governor, I have had to take action under Alaska’s Constitution to adjourn the Legislature to keep the Senate Majority from cavalierly blowing through the voter approved 90 day session limit, pretending it was a suggestion and not the law.

“I can think of no more important moment than this for a governor to stand up and invoke the people’s constitutional grant of authority to adjourn a legislature when one body has made it known they don’t intend to keep the 90 day session limit.”